Here, we pick against the spread. Wish me luck!
(home teams IN ALL CAPS)
Arizona 2.5 over SAN FRANCISCO. Pick: CARDINALS. Arizona is going with Kurt Warner at QB; I think that's a smart move.
BUFFALO 1 over Seattle. Pick: SEAHAWKS. This is just a gut pick; but the Seahawks have been a consistent playoff team recently, while Buffalo hasn't; Matt Hasselbeck should be ready to go. This is the kind of game a team like the Seahawks finds a way to win.
Cincinnati 1.5 over BALTIMORE. Pick: BENGALS. Simple--the Ravens are going with rookie QB Joe Flacco; the Bengals have Carson Palmer. It takes rookies a good while to settle down. I like the Bengals a lot here.
Dallas 5.5 over CLEVELAND. Pick: COWBOYS. The Cowboys offense of Romo, TO, Barber, etc etc is lethal. They'll outscore the Browns and win by a TD or more.
Detroit 3 over ATLANTA. Pick: LIONS. The Lions defense is improved; and again, the Falcons will go with a rookie QB, Matt Ryan. The Lions have Jon Kitna. Big advantage for the Lions there.
INDIANAPOLIS 9.5 over Chicago. Pick: BEARS. Not to win; I think the Colts win here. But narrowly--Manning hasn't played all pre-season; the Colts O-line is banged up. Still, the Bears start Kyle Orton at QB; that's why the Colts win in the end.
Jacksonville 3 over TENNESSEE. Pick: JAGUARS. I like David Garrard; I think Vince Young still has strides to make at QB. The Jaguars keep improving.
NEW ENGLAND 15.5 over Kansas City. Pick: CHIEFS. Not to win; the Patriots will win in the end. But 15 pts is way too much to give for a team whose starting QB hasn't played a down yet, and which frankly looked old and un-motivated in the preseason.
NEW ORLEANS 3 over Tampa Bay. Pick: SAINTS. Drew Brees and Reggie Bush look better; the Saints to get it done at home.
NY Jets 3 over MIAMI. Pick: JETS. Brett Favre is better than Chad Pennington.
PHILADELPHIA 7.5 over St. Louis. Pick: EAGLES. Donovan McNabb and Bryant Westbrook have looked good.
PITTSBURGH 6.5 over Houston. Pick: STEELERS. Hard to pick against them at home; don't think the Texans have improved enough yet.
SAN DIEGO 9.5 over Carolina. Pick: PANTHERS. Again, not to win; but to give the Chargers a battle and make it close. Jake Delhomme is back.
GREEN BAY 3 over Minnesota. Pick: VIKINGS. I think Adrian Peterson will run well; I'm not sold on Aaron Rodgers yet.
Denver 3 over OAKLAND. Pick: BRONCOS. Jay Cutler is improving; JaMarcus Russell still has a long way to go (and so do the Raiders).
